Fate's Gifts
by JezibellaFleury
Summary: Inaction is the route to damnation. Pain is a prelude to enlightenment. Honesty is the key to love. Chloe Sullivan x Clark Kent
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** None of these characters belong to me. I'm Just messing with them. I'll give them back eventually, promise. 

**Fates Gifts**

**Chapter 1: A Break From Reality **

I tough my chapped lips, the dream from the night before ever-present in my mind. The gentle pressure of his lips on mine, his arms around me, protecting me from all the bad in the world, haunts me even now. What I wouldn't give to have him hold me right now, take me up in his arms and never let me go.

Alas, I love him enough to let him go, to let him move on and accept that he would never be mine. Our friendship means too much for me just to jeopardize it with my selfish desires. All the want, dreams or desire in the world could not change my boys' heart… and I love him more for that.

My dream was a enticing break from reality, an excuse for me to fantasize about the one I love. For a girl cannot control that which she dreams, nor can a man. He is alone in this world and is destined to do great things. For the safety of this world and for his safety, I hope he can recover from the terrible hand that fate has dealt him.

The phone rings and I stare at it, my mind get back on track and I take the call. Wrong number. I sit back in my chair and take a sip of my coffee, the caffeine cleansing my senses and lifting my heart. My coffee is finished and I turn back to my work desk, back to my life, determined to finish this article before deadline. I'm almost finished and halfway through my conclusion when a short wind blows past. Very unusual for a badly vented basement. It's Clark, I know the second his hand lands on my shoulder.

"Hey Chloe" is all he says, is all that need to be said. It has been months and the dark cloud of misery had not yet passed. Yet this is the first time he has come to me with such urgency. The last letter is typed and I shut down my computer and stand up. Facing him I can feel this solemn mood. I meet his eyes and the sadness visibly softens.

"Chloe, could we talk? Somewhere private, please." His tone wavered slightly but still let no room for argument. "Clark? Haven't you noticed recently that this whole town is full of reports, there's no such thing as a private word." The small smile was worth insulting my profession, besides it's true, Metropolis is gossip central.

"How about my house? My moms off talking business with Lionel Luthor and I know no sneaky reporters have bugged my house. Oh and there's some of my mom's apple pie in it for you." I smirked at the man in front of me.

"Clark, I was already going to say yes but I will hold you to the promise of dessert. Wait… it'd take me hours to drive to your house." Clark truly smiled for once. A rare pleasure these days.

"We could always run?" the mischievous look on his face told me we wouldn't be driving."Well I'm sure you cold but I cant run that fast." Clark smirked. "Piggy back?"

* * *

I was zipping cross-country so fast I gave up trying o figure out where I was at any particular second. The heat of his back against my front made it difficult for me to hold on, so I wrapped my legs tighter around his waist. Oh how I wish I could do this from a very different angle.

We zoomed past his house and into the barn before I could object, not that I would seriously object to anything my boy wonder did. He stopped and I quickly hopped off, so as not to seem too desperate to have him near me. Inside I wanted nothing more than to have him arms around me, just like they were in my dream. His velvet smooth voice brought my mind back from its musings.

"Chloe come…" Clark zoomed to the top of the loft. "…Up here." I smiled up at him, enjoying the good mood he was in. I climbed the stairs two at a time and by the time I got up there he had already zipped down to the house and back with the famous Martha Kent apple pie.

The pie was still hot, yet it did not burn his fingers. The idea itself that he was invulnerable was amazing but to see it in practice, even in such an innocent way, was breathtaking.

I think I might have been staring because when he spoke he sounded a little alarmed. "Did I do something wrong?" I was so shocked at his words that I stupidly forgot to reply. I felt as if all of existence was in slow motion as I watched his shoulders drop. He slowly placed his moms pie on the table as his mood deteriorated.

"You don't have to stay around a freak like me. I know think I'm a freak… and you're right…" with his back to me it took me a while to process it all but when it finally clicked, I moved as if struck by lightning.

"Clark, I would never think of you as a freak. You're my friend. I'd like to hope we'll always be friends." I stood next to him, but I didn't want him to get the wrong idea, even if I do lo-like him in that way.

"I've seen you stare at me as if I were abnormal, you can't deny that." I sigh and take a step closer to the sullen 'Kryptonian'. "Clark… look at me dammit! Clark I cannot deny that I stare. I thought you wouldn't notice." Clark turned away from me refusing to me my eyes. At least that would make this easier to say. "It's not what you think Clark. When I look at you, distaste is the last thing on my mind. Clark… you are abnormal. There is no-one on this earth that is kinder, sweeter or thinks so selflessly. There is no-one on earth that I could ever love more."

The tears were hot and wet on my cheeks. _'What have I done?'_ was all I could think before I fled. Down the stairs, out the Kents' barn, welcoming the double doors and out into the woods. My thoughts all blurred into one and all I could think was 'Run'.

**To be continued…**

Please R+R, I would enjoy it ever so much.

Press the little button, I know you want too.

**Jez**


	2. Fallen Pride

**Disclaimer:** None of these characters belong to me. I'm Just messing with them. I'll give them back eventually, promise.

**Fates Gifts**

**Chapter 2: Fallen Pride**

Ten minutes later, the passing of the trees had calmed me enough to stop running. My breath was ragged and I sat myself down on one of the fallen oaks around me. I couldn't believe I'd said what I had; Clark would never forgive me. 

The ground was wet because it had rained earlier that day and I watched as one of my tears fell down to Earth and dissolve into the soggy dirt. In that moment my heart broke, my shoulders shook and my sobs echoed around the clearing.

The rain began to fall around me and I was soaked within minutes. Behind me a snapping sound started and before I could turn to check it out, I was falling. I flung my arms out to grab hold of something and all I could touch was air. The fatigue hit me before the ground did. It was almost a peaceful decent into slumber.

My entire body ached as I woke. I stretched out on the soft surface before I remembered what had caused my previous bout of unconsciousness. I bolted upright expecting to be lying in a hospital or in Dèore Gorge. The bed I was in, disqualified my 'gorge' theory but the colors didn't match any hospital near here.

I looked down at my hands; they stung and were as dirty as hell, covered in both mud and blood. My limbs weren't broken as I expected. I started checking all over, looking for fractures or twisted tendons. I stopped when someone spoke from the corner of the room.

"I caught you before you landed." As my eyes adjusted to the light, I began to recognize more and more of the room. It hit me like a tonne of bricks, the disembodied voice belonged to Clark and I was in the Kent's' house… I was in Clark's **bedroom**! I bowed my head; cheeks flamed with embarrassment.

"Thank you…" I sat there in the uncomfortable silence, the gravity of what I had said earlier shocking me into a quiet, contemplative state.

"Chloe, I…" The bell rang downstairs and I saw Clark give a quick glance before starting to the door. I stare blankly at the wall opposite me as I heard him leave. The silence of the room was deafening.

From downstairs I could hear Martha's kind and motherly voice. I heard footsteps up the stairs and across the landing but I continued with my staring contest with the wall. Mrs. Kent strode into the room while Clark just leaned against the doorframe.

"Chloe, are you ok? Clark told me you almost had quite a fall." I smiled up at Mrs. Kent, a mother hen to the very end.

I'm ok Mrs. Kent, really. I'll leave now to go work on my deadline." Clark knew I'd finished but I just wanted to be anywhere but here right now. I sat up straighter, turning the wince into a small smile for Martha's sake and twisted so that my feet hit the floor. Yanking myself up, I stood for a moment and then collapsed onto the bed, the pain in my ankle infinite agony.

"Well it seems like that deadline will just have to wait. I must insist you stay for dinner and see how your ankle goes." It wasn't a tone used very often by Martha Kent, but it was immediately recognizable as the 'don't argue with me' tone. I tried to smile but it came out as a weak grimace.

"Thanks Mrs. Kent. That's really kind of you." Martha seemed to remember something important.

"I'm so sorry Chloe but I have an important senate meeting tonight. I'm sure Clark will be able to make something edible." Martha's pointed look at Clark meant that she would find out if he didn't obey. She stood to leave.

"I'm really sorry but Lois'll be here in 10 minutes and I have to be ready. I hope you feel better soon. If you don't your welcome to stay the night." Martha then turned to Clark.

"I'm sorry honey. I wont be back until tomorrow afternoon. I'll be staying at Metropolis Hotel if you need me."

Mrs. Kent left the room and I pulled my ankle up to check the tendons. Clark stared at me for a few seconds. The gaze was intense and I wished the intensity were due to lust not his x-ray vision.

"It's not broken, the tendons are intact and I can't see any fractures. I think you might've pulled something with all that running you did." Clark walked closer and kneeled down next to the bed so that we were eye-level.

"Although it would probably be best not to walk on it for a few hours." Clark smiled at me and I would've melted had I not been so shocked at the sight.

"Did you mean what you said before Chloe? Before you left?" I look out the window, still way too embarrassed to look him in the eyes.

"Chloe? Please don't hate me for doubting our friendship, but I do need to know whether you meant it." Clark's voice sounded sincere, so hopeful and I was so sick of lying to him. Especially after all the things we'd been through together.

"I meant it Clark. I meant **all** of it." I sighed and tried not to cry. I could almost hear him thinking.

"Chloe… I uh… need to think, I'm gonna go make dinner, so make yourself at home.

I watched his retreating back as he left the room. I got up and painfully slid into his desk chair. If I couldn't walk, I wasn't going to just sit in bed.

I pushed myself over to the work desk and had a quick look around but only one thing caught me attention.

Half an hour later Clark zoomed back up to the room I was in.

"Clark, how am I going to get down the stairs?" Clark just smirked at me.

"Same way you got here of course…"

_**To be continued… **_

Please R+R, I would enjoy it ever so much.

Press the little button, I know you want too.

**Jez**


	3. Lips of Steel

Clark swooped over and with no effort at all lifted me clean off the chair. I tried to be calm as he carried me downstairs, but the heat of his skin and his own unique scent made my heart race. Placing me gently down on one of the soft dining chairs, Clark turned back to the kitchen and brought dinner to the table, a lovely sight even in the worst of times.

He sat down slowly, obviously deep in thought. He seemed nervous for some reason and that shocked me. Wasn't I the one that was supposed to be nervous? I was the one that was confused; I was the one that stupidly sabotaged out friendship by confessing my love. So why was _he_ confused?

Dinner was a tasteless affair, not because it wasn't delicious but because of the tension on the air. Every mouthful turned to ash on my tongue but I swallowed anyway. When Clark stood to clean the table I could feel his eyes following my evey movement. Just as I was about to bolt he spoke.

"Chloe..." I looked up at him and before I could meet his eyes he leaned forward, his soft lips brushing my own in the most breathtaking moment I've ever had.

"Chloe…" He had pulled away, his soft features mere centimetres from my own.

"Yes?" My voice came out rough and dry. His eyes glowed with a brilliance I haven't seen since we were younger. Unfortunately I could feel a major headache coming on, must've been all this stress.

'I think…maybe…could this work?' a sharp voice ran through my head. A wave of confusion washed over me, leaving me disorientated and dizzy. The pain must have shown on my face because Clark stepped back a bit. I got a little bit flushed as I followed his gaze to my chest. Although I was flattered I was also very, _very _angry.

"Clark! Stop looking at my chest!" His gaze did not leave my bust and he looked troubled.

"Why did you put that on?" His calloused hand moved closer and he ran to digits lovingly across the surface of the pendant.  
"I…" I sighed, wishing he would kiss me again. "It caught my attention in your room, I thought trying it on would do no harm, but then I couldn't get it off, I was going to ask you to take it off for me after dinner."

I had seen the innocent looking pendant hanging over the mirror at his dresser. It's almost molten blue surface was beautiful, and when I looked even closer the spidery silver rivulets drew me in. It was heavy, but more of a comforting weight than a burden. Why is Clark so worried about it?

"Chloe…gods!" Clark looked about ready to cry. I silently prayed that he wouldn't. Knowing his now shattered mood was probably all my fault, increased my general feeling of guilt ten-fold. 'What have I done now?' My own inner voice sounded exasperated.

"It's ok, you couldn't have known…You did say 'What have I done now'…didn't you?" I was shocked. I'm sure I hadn't said that out loud. I slowly shook my head, weary of the headache presently forming.

"Oh…" Clark pulled out a dining chair and collapsed every so 'gracefully' into the chair.

"Clark, what's going on? How did you know what I was thinking?" I knew I sounded pretty hysterical but who wouldn't be in my situation? I had no idea what was going on.

Clark's long winded sigh stirred me out of my thoughts and all I could do was look up at him through my fringe. Clark stood up and began to pace, I knew that I needed to calm him down. I grabbed his wrist and he stopped. Bringing his arm up to my face I lightly kissed the tender looking flesh. I could hear his heartbeat racing, I could feel it slow as I pressed another kiss to his wrist. Letting his hand go to fall beside him, I knew that I needed to know more.

"Clark…look at me, please. Tell me what it was that I couldn't have known…Talk to me." Clark's heavy frame seemed to fold in on itself as he sat back down and hung his head in his calloused hands. I perched myself on the edge of another chair, my hands in a fidgety and unsure pile on my lap. Clark sighed yet again and leaned back in his chair.

"Chloe…that necklace, I was researching it's origins. It's Kryptonian…" I sat there slowly trying to assimilate the new information. When I'd calmed myself down I silently urged Clark to continue.

"The stone…I think it's a different form of Kryptonite, but it doesn't affect me at all. I was going to go to Jor-el after lunch tomorrow, to ask about it."

"Ok, well…" I got up and began pacing trying to figure it all out in my head, I turned into the kitchen and what felt like a strong wind swept me off my feet, across the room, into a very startled Clark Kent's lap.

"Well, I don't think I'll be leaving quite as soon as I thought." Then I smiled. "This means you have to take me with you when you go see Jor-el, seeing as I'm more or less stuck to you." Smirking I realised that I got my wish, I was in Clarks arms.


End file.
